Namibia Featured In Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2013

WINDHOEK, Namibia, Feb. 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The unveiling of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2013 will reveal Namibia as one of the featured international backdrops. Known as the 'Land of Endless Horizons,' this southern African destination's natural wonders provided a dramatic setting for SI Swimsuit models to be photographed in front of the world's tallest sand dunes in Namib-Naukluft National Park and the mysterious diamond mining ghost town of Kolmanskop.  Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2013 will hit newsstands and launch online at www.si.com/swimsuit on Tuesday, February 12.

On location in exotic Namibia, SI Swimsuit models were photographed in the following locations:

• Sossusvlei: See the world's highest dunes rise in shades of orange and red from the floor of the Namib Desert.  Either climb to the top of the infamous 'Big Daddy' dune or drift above these monolithic mounds of orange sand on a hot air balloon safari.
• Deadvlei: A forest frozen in time, find the skeletons of 900 year-old camelthorn trees whose dried skeletons sit on a white sandy floor framed by Sossusvlei's iconic orange dunes. 
• Kolmanskop: Located in Namibia's Sperrgebeit (Forbidden Territory), this former diamond mining community is now a ghost town, engulfed by the sands of the surrounding desert.
• Swakopmund's Coastal Dunes: Outside the coastal hamlet of Swakopmund, towering sand dunes glide effortlessly into the Atlantic Ocean. Adrenalin junkies take to these slopes to sand board and ski.   
• Wolwedans Dunes Lodge: Located in the NamibRand Nature Reserve, this luxurious property features nine chalets that offer sweeping 360-degree views of the surrounding Namib Desert.  Guests can enjoy hot air balloon experiences, scenic drives to the dunes, or a relaxing afternoon by the pool.

To see Namibia in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2013, visit www.si.com/swimsuit.

Twice the size of California, yet with a population just over 2 million, Namibia is immense by African standards.  From its white sands and brilliant blue waters of the Skeleton Coast and the red sands of the world's highest dunes in Sossusvlei to the wildlife of Etosha National Park and following in the footsteps of the desert adapted Elephant in Damaraland, the country's horizons are endless and its terrain ever-changing. As one of the world's newest nations, obtaining independence in just March 1990, Namibia stands out as the ultimate Southern Africa safari experience -- a stunning, untamed slice of nature with stability and luxury to spare. 

Conservation is intrinsic to the country's ethos.  All 1,200 miles of its Atlantic coastline is government-protected. An emphasis on conservation is woven into the country's Constitution, and only in Namibia are endangered species being translocated from National Parks to communal conservancies, where wildlife is protected paired to the benefit the local communities.

For more information on Namibia, visit: www.namibiatourism.com.na

Discover the best of Namibia with this ground-only package available through Goway from US$2,500 per person, double occupancy:

'Namibia Highlights' information: With this nine-day, eight-night package enjoy the iconic experiences of Namibia.  Hike the world's tallest dunes in Sossusvlei, enjoy quad biking in Swakopmund.  Venture to Damaraland the home of the elusive desert-adapted elephant, explore an abundance of wildlife in Etosha National Park. Add-on adventures to Luderitz and Kolmanskop are available.  

Price includes:

• Eight-nights accommodation including Etosha Safari Camp, Hansa Hotel and Sossusvlei Lodge
• All ground transportation with a driver/guide
• Activities and sightseeing excursions such as hiking up one of the world's highest dunes, Big Daddy, at Sossusvlei, tracking elephants, lions and rhino to the watering holes of Etosha National Park and viewing the ancient rock engravings of Twyfelfontein
• Airport transfers

Excludes: Gratuities, items of a personal nature, international flights

More information: www.goway.com/africa/namibia/namibia-highlights.html

About the Namibia Tourism Board
With the mandate of promoting tourism both nationally and internationally, ensuring the quality of accommodations and other tourist facilities, and developing environmentally sustainable travel practices, the Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) was formed by an act of Parliament in April, 2001. It brings together both the private and public sectors and is the only national body devoted entirely to implementing the national policy on tourism. The NTB's domestic and international offices provide custom-tailored services to the members of the travel trade. www.namibiatourism.com.na

Media Contacts:
Malcolm Griffiths, NTB
[email protected]
(212) 444-7112
Terry Levine, NTB
[email protected]
(212) 444-7128

SOURCE Namibia Tourism Board